The Puente del Estacio bascule bridge in La Manga del Mar Menor

The bascule in the San Javier section of La Manga allows road traffic to reach the northern end

The Estacio bridge which crosses the main channel between the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor was built relatively recently, but it has quickly become such a recognizable part of the landscape and the daily life of La Manga that it is hard to imagine it not being there.

It was not until residential and holiday construction began on La Manga del Mar Menor that a bridge crossing the “Gola del Estacio” at kilometre 13 became necessary, making it possible for motor vehicles to reach the northern end of the spit which lies in the municipality of San Javier. The channel was created and widened to allow maritime traffic to enter the Mar Menor from the Mediterranean unimpeded, and the problem with a conventional road bridge was that even small craft would be prevented from using the Gola.

The first solution provided in 1969 was a swing bridge, but this soon proved unsatisfactory as it had only one lane and long queues were formed by the vehicles waiting to use it. However, it was not until 2003 that the current bascule bridge was officially opened, operating on the same basic design as Tower Bridge in London. The two liftable platforms are each 60 metres long, and are raised during the summer every two hours during daylight to allow boats with a maximum draft of 4 metres to pass.

The whole infrastructure is monitored at these opening times from a 50-metre-high tower erected specifically for this purpose.

From 15th June to 31st August the bridge is opened to maritime traffic every two hours from 8.00 to 22.00, while for the rest of the year the timetable begins at 10.00 and ends at 20.00.